Imperial Concubine Chicken – Sybaritica
Imperial Concubine Chicken has many variations. This one features Chicken braised with Rice Wine, Bamboo Shoots, and Chinese Black Mushrooms
- 1 lb. Chicken Wing Drumettes
- 1/3 cup Bamboo Shoots sliced Julienne
- 6 small Chinese Black Mushrooms Shiitake
- 2 Scallions cut into 2” sections keep the white and green parts separate
- 1 Tbsp. finely shredded fresh Ginger
- ½ cup Shaoxing Cooking Wine or other Rice Wine, or dry sherry
- ½ cup Chicken Stock
- 2 Tbsp. Light Soy
- 1 tsp. Sugar
- Quickly blanch the chicken pieces in boiling salted water for about a minute or two until no pinkness is visible and then rinse in chilled water to cool and clean them. Pat them dry and set aside for now.
- Reconstitute the mushrooms by soaking in warm water to cover for an hour or so and then drain, reserving the soaking water. Remove the stems and then slice the caps into two or three pieces.
- Heat a little oil in a suitable pot and add the ginger shreds and the white part of the scallion. As soon as these give off their aroma, add the chicken pieces and lightly brown them.
- Add the bamboo and mushrooms along with the wine, stock, soy sauce and sugar. Let it to start bubbling and then turn down to low.
- Allow the pot to simmer for about 30 – 40 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced to about half its original volume, adding a little extra liquid, if necessary, so as to keep ¾ to 1 cup of sauce around the chicken.
- Finally, add the green part of the scallion and cook just a little longer until the scallion greens have wilted a little. Serve piping hot.